the chest
by BloodThirsty Butterfly
Summary: There it stood, in all of it’s glory. I slowly ran my fingers over it’s black surface. Feeling every dent and crevice and gash in its surface. It was smooth under my hand but the memories it brought back were so painful. BELLA WAS EDWARDS LOVE IN 1918! Bx


There it stood, in all of it's glory. I slowly ran my fingers over it's black surface. Feeling every dent and crevice and gash in its surface. It was smooth under my hand but the memories it brought back were so painful. So, so painful. Almost unbearable.

It was a chest. Simply a large black trunk is what it appeared as. But it was indeed a gift. A gift from my love's family.

I remember that day so clearly. It was 1917 my birthday to be precise. I was turning 16. The Masen's gave it to me knowing how I loved the chest so dearly. When I was young my best friend Edward and I would play games in it. Hide and Seek, as well as games we made up. I had my first kiss next to that chest.

I truly have no clue as to why they gave away this trunk. It seemed as thoguh they had many memories stored into it's different compartments. But the next birthday was what really surprised me.

It was my 17th birthday and I was becoming a full woman. Edward, the Masen's son my love, was courting me. But I had many other admirers as well. Oh dear it seems I have gotten off topic well as I was saying my 17th birthday was indeed a surprise.

I woke up that morning and it seemed as though I hadn't gotten any present at all. I was relieved instead of disappointed as most girls would be. I hated when people spent money on me to buy useless objects. I was practically skipping with joy around my room as I went to water my plants. That's when I saw it.

I dress. But not any old dress, it was too pretty for that. It couldn't even be a church dress or a dress for tea. It was a ball dress. The bright blue silk was devastating and the midnight blue lace hemmed the bottom and neck line of the dress. It was sleeveless and truly dramatic. The effect in whole was amazing, yet daring. Gentle, but devastating. Even as I stand here and stress these words to you, you can never completely understand how beautiful the dress was. Is actually. I still have that trunk. I have the dress as well.

On that dress was a note written in perfect script that mine could never compare to.

**My love,**

**An amazing dress given to a girl who would make the stars weep in envy. Happy Birthday my darling Bella. And I would be pleased to be your escort to Mrs. Evan's ball in December. Remember nothing and I mean nothing should be allowed to stop you from reaching your goals, hopes and dreams. **

**Happy Birthday my love,**

**Edward Masen, Mr. and Mrs. Masen, and your parents.**

Of course Edward knew how I was never comfortable in my own skin but he always tried to convince my that even angels wish they shined as bright as I.

The dress was to be worn to Mrs. Evan's up coming ball. A dance of the ages. I would place my hand on the inside of Edward's elbow as we would make our way down the stairs. Onlookers would stare in amazement as we twirled and danced to the song the band was playing. Edward would dip me down low and plant a kiss onto my lips with his soft and smooth mouth. We would stay there up until the very last person was gone and we'd finally make our way to the porch where he'd get down onto one knee and purpose to me. I would nod because I couldn't trust my own voice, in fear that it would crack. And we'd live happily ever after.

But life isn't fair and that's not how everything happened. Life is simply to afraid to grant us our wishes.

We never went to Mrs. Evan's ball. The Influenza hit and Edward was gone. His soul was lost forever. Dead, gone, no longer here. No longer alive. I sat on my bed and cried forever hoping, praying that Edward would make it. Even after the death of his parents I hoped he'd keep strong for him, for me. But he wasn't strong enough. I wasn't even allowed to visit him in the hospital. They feared that I would catch the disease too. I couldn't see his body at the wake for they burnt it, they burnt all the bodies. They needed to stop the epidemic.

I was walking down the street singing a song I had learnt earlier before the epidemic. Then I knew the meaning of the song. My love had died. My parents have died. My friends have died. So I switched to a life of crime. Tricking people out of their fortunes, property, and sometimes even livestock. I needed a good stallion every once and a while to go from town to town. People started to call me the Maiden of Misfortune.

In every town I went all I heard was, "The Maiden of Misfortune left her town. Do you think she could be here?". If I had a dollar for each time I heard that I would be even more rich then my former and current withstanding.

The song I was singing was soft but terrifying. In the softest voice practically a whisper the words started to form into lyrics and the lyrics into a song.

_Out on your own_

_Cold and alone again_

_Can this be want your really wanted baby?_

_Blame it on me_

_set your guilt free_

_nothing can hold you back now_

_Now that your gone_

_I feel like myself again_

_grieving the things I can repair..._

I stopped there as a gust of wind went passed me. It was unnatural. In the wrong place, the wrong direction. I whipped around to where the wind was headed and stopped short. There, in front of me was a thing. A creature from nightmares and fairytales. Something with eyes as red as the blood that flowed through my very veins.

"So it's true. The Maiden of Misfortune came to my town. For some reason I didn't think it was a poor frail human that could trick all of those mortals. But you would be a great asset to my army. Jasper will train you." The thing sneered. I recognized the shape as a female a beautiful one at that. But I was too depressed to care about the looks of a monster. Then and there she bit me.

After the pain ended there was simply more. Like she said before this was the army. We were trained to perfection and as the lady, Maria her name was, suspected my powers were usually to great for the opponent to handle. She won back the city and more territory using me and mecomrade Jasper. He was the one who trained me, the one I confided into. He knew all about my past. But like the others my name was only Maiden of Misfortune. Sometimes I was referred to as Missy but never Bella. Jasper escaped with me and we went our separate ways.

After a while the Volturi found out about me and my illusions. What a cheerful bunch. They were sweet but I got bored and now I'm ready to go to school again.

But who knows, maybe some things or people I never thought I would see again might just pop up. Who they were I would've never guessed.


End file.
